|
What is NaNoWriMo?
From the
NaNoWriMo site:
"National Novel Writing Month is a
fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin
writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel
by midnight, November 30.
Valuing enthusiasm and perseverance
over painstaking craft, NaNoWriMo is a novel-writing program for
everyone who has thought fleetingly about writing a novel but has been
scared away by the time and effort involved.
Because of the limited writing
window, the ONLY thing that matters in NaNoWriMo is output. It's all
about quantity, not quality. The kamikaze approach forces you to lower
your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly.
Make no mistake: You will be
writing a lot of crap. And that's a good thing. By forcing yourself to
write so intensely, you are giving yourself permission to make mistakes.
To forgo the endless tweaking and editing and just create. To build
without tearing down.
As you spend November writing, you
can draw comfort from the fact that, all around the world, other
National Novel Writing Month participants are going through the same
joys and sorrows of producing the Great Frantic Novel. Wrimos meet
throughout the month to offer encouragement, commiseration, and—when the
thing is done—the kind of raucous celebrations that tend to frighten
animals and small children.
In 2007, we had over 100,000
participants. More than 15,000 of them crossed the 50k finish line by
the midnight deadline, entering into the annals of NaNoWriMo
superstardom forever. They started the month as auto mechanics,
out-of-work actors, and middle school English teachers. They walked away
novelists."
How
and when can I sign up? Is there an entry fee?
From the
NaNoWriMo site:
"You can sign-up year-round! To
sign up for the upcoming National Novel Writing Month, just click on the
"Sign Up Now" box at the top of the site (at the tip of the runner's
pencil), and fill out the User Registration form.
Kapow! You're officially signed up
for National Novel Writing Month.
There's no sign-up fee for National
Novel Writing Month, but we do ask ably-financed participants to
contribute something towards hosting and administrative costs. Because
we're a nonprofit, the donation is tax-deductible! The amount you
contribute
is up to you."
What
is a write-in?
A write-in is a meet up of local
writers to...well, write. Whether it's for camaraderie, writing
assistance, competition, ideas, or just to escape the distractions of
home, write-in sessions are the backbone of
NaNoWriMo for many writers. Check out what events are coming up
soon by clicking on the Events Calendar link at the top of the page for
a write-in session near you!
I
want to host a write-in session! What do I need to do?
First and foremost, you're awesome! It's difficult
to cover every area of the city with just three coordinators. If you
want to host a writing session in your neck of the woods, secure a
location first. Whether it's a local coffee house or your own house -
whatever you feel comfortable with will ultimately be the best option.
After that decision, you need to decide on a date and time. If you want
to host it every week of
NaNoWriMo, that's okay too. If it will be a write-in at a public
place, it's usually best to mention it to the staff so they can expect
you when you and a few other writers show up and plant yourselves down
for hours at a time. Next, you should visit the Resources link
at the top of the page and download/print a table tent to take with you
so people can find you out and about when you do end up at the writing
location. Finally, post a request in the NaNo::Chicago regional forum or
the Script Frenzy Chicago Forum and one of the Municipal Liaisons
will post it to the events calendar for you to garner attendance. (You
should also feel free to post a thread on the regional forum asking who
wants to attend!)
What is a word war?
Whether on an individual or group
basis, many writers need an impetus to propel themselves forward and to
maintain momentum. Word wars are one of the ways we accomplish that.
They are friendly competitions among writers to garner the most words in
a certain period of time. We engage in mini word wars at write-in
sessions and also in a region-wide word war each NaNoWriMo. For more
information on region-wide word wars,
please
visit our word war page.
I'd
like to write an article on NaNoWriMo. Can I interview any of your
members?
Absolutely! We've put together a
press release with useful information about getting in touch
with participants and other journalistic FAQs. After you've read it,
please get in touch
and let us know what we can do to help you with your article.
How
can I help?
We're always looking for helpful
members to donate giveaway items, space, or money towards ChiWriMo
events. If you'd like to provide space or donation items to ChiWriMo for
events, please
contact us and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. If
you'd like to make a monetary donation, please visit our
donations & sponsors
page. Thank you in advance for your generosity!
I
have a question not listed here.
If the answers above don't answer
your questions, click on the
Contact Us link
at the top of the page and drop us a line! |
